How can companies align sustainability with innovation and business growth? The consumer and industrial goods company Henkel shows how this balancing act can succeed. At Henkel, sustainability isn’t a side initiative – it’s fully embedded in the core business. That’s why Sylvie Nicol, Board Member responsible for HR, Infrastructure, and Sustainability, and her colleagues on the Management Board have firmly anchored sustainability in the company’s strategy.
In an interview with Porsche Consulting Magazine, Nicol explains why transparency and measurable data are key to real progress: Only those who understand the footprint of their portfolio can steer effectively, drive change, and grow with the right partners across the entire value chain.
She emphasizes that sustainability, profitability, and innovation are not adversaries. What matters is taking a holistic view of sustainability and embedding it across the entire organization. One example highlights this clearly: As a strong, highly recognized partner in the transformation of the automotive industry, Henkel develops innovative, thermally conductive adhesives that help prevent overheating in EV batteries. Nicol notes: “If you really see sustainability as an opportunity for transformation, for competition, for market positioning, to better oneself – then you will change direction.”